the Scripture saith concerning Christ and what Christ saith concerning himself wilt thou contemn Christ for thine own conceited Righteousness or for the Righteousness of another who is but a meer Man the Apostle Paul would not durst not rely upon this Phil. 3.3 7 8 9. but fled out of himself into the Lord Jesus thou contemnest him without whom thou canst never be saved if the word of God be true Jo. 3.18.36 Thou dost not come to him but thou runest from him and he will one day judg thee for it and count thee among the number of his Enemys Luke 19.27 For thou dost trample under foot the Blood of Christ without which there is no cleansing 1 Jo. 1.7 The Blood of Christ Cleanseth from all Sin And without which there is no Pardon Heb. 10.29 Heb. 9.22 Without sheding of Blood no remission of Sins one day God will reprove thee and set thy Sins in order before thee and this will be none of the least thy contemning Christ and his invitation and so consequently glory and salvation 2ly Reproof to those who do not contemn coming to Christ but neglect and deferre it they are for Cras Cras to Morrow to Morrow They have procrastinations and delays they think of coming but not now it is too soon yet they were yet in Flore Etatis in the Flower of their Age and they have not yet passed through the Pleasures of the Spring their Bones are full of Sapp they have Health and Strength as yet therefore time enough yet a little more Slumber a little more folding of the Hands together if we come now we must leave our Sins we must then deny the World Eph. 5.15 the Flesh and Satan we must then walk circumspectly we must not then be conformable to this World Rom. 12.2 but there is time enough yet for all these things sayest thou so Sinner then I would ask thee one serious question When wilt thou come Thou mayst be ready to say to morrow but Christ saith to Day this present day is only certain to thee Heb. 3.15 to morrow thou mayst be in thy Grave it is a dangerous and evil thing to neglect Christ one hour for thy Soul and how wilt thou escape if thou neglect so great Salvation Heb. 2.3 Further consider it is not in thy own power to come when thou pleasest but more of this when I come to answer objections in the second Doctrine thou mayst be deprived of Reason thy Heart may be hardened through the deceitfulness of Sin and Satan therefore if thou neglectest Christ and his invitation now he is weighting Cant. 5.2 It declares thou esteemest the World above Christ thy Lusts above thy immortal Soul O what words are bitter enough to be written against thee what canst thou neglect Christ and his tenders of mercy for such trifles as these O wretched creature turn thine Eyes about and behold Christ open thine Ears and hearken to him see if there be not more in Christ and his invitation then all the World will afford if it be but in that word Rest and that for thy Soul 3ly It reproves those who notwithstanding they feel themselves burthened yet keep off from coming unto Christ they think to ease themselves their good meaning or their Prayers or some little external reformation keep them back if they can but obtain a little though false peace of conscience here they rest what Sinner dost thou make of Christ dost thou think he cannot or will not ease thee if he alone can why dost thou not come unto him if thou sayst he will not then thou makest him who is God a Lier for he invites thee to come I tell thee Christ takes it unkindly from thee that thou wilt not give Credit to him Jo. 5.40 Ye will not come unto me saith Christ that ye may have Life Peace Rest and happiness thou art the Guest he hath sent forth his servants to invite all things are ready prepared for thee Luk. 14.17 Therefore thou of all others art to be reproved when thou refusest to come thou givest advantage to Satan and wrongest thine own Soul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou must not think to gather Canaan Grapes of rest and Peace from Thorns of thine own planting thou must come to Christ if thou wilt tast them and have eternal rest 3ly For councel Christ doth graciously invite therefore I would councel you to come unto him let not Christ Jesus call and intreat in vain he invites to come without Mony and without Price come though poor he has riches for you Isa 55.1.2 if Blind he has Eye salve if Naked he has cloathing Rev. 3.18 come I say unto him for he has all Col. 1.19 It pleased the Father that in him all fullness should dwell fullness of Pardon fullness of Grace fullness of Glory Out of his fullness we all receive grace for grace Jo. 1.16 And then Further he is all and in all Col. 3.11 If you have him you have all there are treasures in him Col. 2.3 Not treasures of wrath and punishment but treasures of mercy and grace come then and make no delays come now or else thou mayst come never come ease thy labouring Burthened Soul Christ is willing then refuse not Some Motives to inforce this word of Councel 1. Consider if thou comest not now he intreats thou wilt declare great disingenuity and ingratitude has Christ condescended so far as to intreat thee manifested so much Love as to call after thee and wilt thou not return what is there no retaliation no imbracing his offers this was the great Sin of the Jews Jo. 1.11 He came to his own but his own received him not He tendered himself but they refused him Prodigosa res est Benificium non rependere Lycurgus O what horrid ingratitude is this for such unparralled love Salvation offered but they put it from them Luk. 13.16 This I say was their Sin base unthankfulness to Christ so it will be thine if thou dost not receive him and come unto him this is requiting evil for good Pro. 17.13 The Persians Punished Ingratful Men with Death and Queen Elizabeth in a Letter to Henry the Fourth King of France used this expression If there be any unpardonable Sin in the World Camb. Eliz. it is Ingratitude Oh Sinner be not Ingrateful do not slight neglect Christs gratious invitations 2ly If thou consent not and hearken to Christ thou wilt hearken to Satan for where the ears and heart are shut to Christ they are open to Sin and Satan so it was with the Jews when they would not believe Christ that he was the Son of God they presently believe Satan term him a Blasphemer and a Devil 3ly Consider that it is he alone can help thee and if thou seekest unto any other Physitian it may cost thee thy Life even the Life of thy Soul it will be with thee as it was with King Asa
plentiful draughts to the believing soul 10ly Remember Satan is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 5.8 A calumniator and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rev. 12.10 the accuser of the Brethren By laying open the Infirmities miscarriages of the saints and servants of the Lord Jesus and representing them as vile as others if not to the eye of the world yet they are so in secret and they are but painted on the external side but all rotten within But I know this to be one of Satans devices to keep poor souls from coming to Christ O saith he to the sinner there are none without their failings and if you expect to be perfectly holy you must be so in another world observe the steps of those that seem most precise saith Satan and you shall see that they sin dayly they are as proud as passionate and as worldly as others if you live in one sin they live in another therefore be not so much concerned about your self and about coming to Christ And if this will not do he finds out some who walke with the people of God and go under the notion of Servants of Christ when indeed they are not but are like those Jo. 6.26 Who followed Christ not because of his Miracles but for the Loaves for some by interest not for love and yet they live in sin and do as they world do Now he strikes the nail to the head and the sinner sits down contented as if he had no need to press forward through the Crowd of the wicked and wickedness of this world and come to Christ I grant that which cannot be denyed that the best of Saints have their failings and infirmitys as Noah Abraham Lot David and many more but consider 1. They did not live in the practise of any known sin 2. They did not neglect coming to Christ and believing in him 3. If none of these be so holy as thou thinkest they pretend or ought to be yet it is thy duty to provide for thine own soul Therefore resist Satan and come to Christ 11ly By shewing the poverty and afflictions the people of God undergo Joh. 7.48 and that if they come to Christ they must expect the same This is a wile by which she insnares many says Satan see there are not many mighty or noble ones of that way They are but an impoverished people that are his followers and are afflicted distressed dayly as the Apostle said 2 Cor. 4.8.9 Troubled on every side In perplexities continually this is the portion of them who are his disciples it has ever been so with them here the Devil speaks truth but to a wicked end scil To keep the miserable from seeking to a Saviour Abraham Moses David Josiah Constantine Galeaceus with many more Indeed the followers of Christ have been and are for the most part a poor and afflicted people although there has been some honorable ones that have forsaken all and followed Christ but the reason why there have been and are so few great ones of the world that close with Christ is because Satan and their Riches will not let them Thus it was with the young man in the Gospel Mat. 19.21 Go saith Christ part with all sell all and follow me but he rather chose to part with Christ and bid farewell to him he went away the Text saith sorrowing but we never read he came again repenting Again they who abound with the riches of this world are least sollicitous about the riches of another now the poor having but little here seek for a better treasure James 2.5 God hath chosen the poor of this world rich in faith Heirs of the Kingdome 3. They are most secure thinking God is oblieged to give Heaven freely unto them because he bestows earth liberally upon them 4. They must needs have the least love for their immortal Souls whose greatest care is taken up about their bodys therefore the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 1.26 Not many wise after the flesh not many mighty not many noble are called not but that they are invited to come but they refuse it And as for their afflictions which the Apostle calls light they will work for them a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory therefore let not Satan hold thee by this wile 12ly Professorum paucitas religionem non probat esse falsam The Paucity of Professors doth not prove the Religion to be false The Paucity and fewness of Christ's Followers is another device of his to impede and hinder sinners with this Argument the serpent makes excellent work for and among the Papists O say those Hellish Emissarys fit Instruments for that roaring devouring Lyon to work by when they come to dispute with poor silly creatures there are but few of that way in comparison of ours we have whole Kingdomes of our perswasion that way is but an affected Singular way and in the Multitude of Councellors there is much safety a few may erre but the universal Church cannot this is the subtilty of Satan his Servants but this is no just reason for thy not coming because there are but few for Christs Flock hath always been a little Flock Luk. 12.32 When Christ was upon the earth he had but Twelve Apostles and a few more that followed him those of the Pharisees and Saduces were of greater number but it could be no true Argument that therefore they must needs be of the true religion then Christs few Disciples that followed him 2. Councells have and do erre as our Divines have sufficiently proved but the word of God is true 3. If none else come to Christ yet it is thy duty and should be thy care because Salvation is alone to be had in him Acts. 4.12 13ly Satan deters many from coming to Christ by telling them of the reproaches scorns and hatred of others which tâ—â—y will incur and must expect to undergo for the world hath ever despised such persons who have been Christs true and faithful Disciples If they go but through the street and their habit discover what they are you shall hear how they are reproached and scorned but it is not so with those who lead their conversation after the Customes of this world Moreover they are hated by their relations their friends and acquaintance you must not expect a good name nor an aspect of love from them this must be your Lot and who would expose themselves to all these afflictions what will you make yourselves to be abhorred of most men bring misery upon your selves do not do it but keep in the same way you are in keep up your reputation among your neighbours and maintain the love of your friends get the good will of all and this is the only way It is a common Maxime That Truth is Truth ever Veritas semper est veritas à quocunque dicatur from whomsoever it is spoken So Satan speaks abundance of truth when he suggests these
23. to 28. See there what befell them and thou must expect no better also Heb. 11. There is no peace in that way it is full of Thorns and briers thou must expect to be pricked and wounded therefore spare thy self as Peter said to Christ Mat. 16.22.23 Be it far from thee but Christ terms it the language of Satan get thee behind me Satan said he for thou savourest not the things that are of God Thus he deludes poor souls with promises of peace which is no true peace for here is not a word of the peace of God which passeth understanding such a peace that the world cannot give Jo. 14.27 Neither can the world take it away for as it is said of the Nightingale she sings with her breast against a thorne so the people of God have such peace and joy within that when the thorne of affliction is against their brests they can rejoice as Paul and Silas did in prison although they have not peace with the world yet they have peace with God Christ and their own Consciences which is the best of all therefore let not Satan keep thee by this wile from coming to Christ for he tells thee in the text he will give thee rest which implys all peace as far as it is good for thy Soul but Satan cannot give one moment of true peace or tranquility to the Soul 8. If peace will not do then he promises the world the pleasures the honours and the profits of this world as he did to Christ but in vain so he doth to all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All these things I will give unto thee do but fall down and worship me Mat. 4.9 O how many Souls doth he catch by this bait notwithstanding he frequently deceives the Soul and gives a blear-eyed Leah instead of a beautiful Rachel Tuta frequens via est sub amici fallere Nomen Vnder the name of kindness and friendship he frequently deludes the sinner And these are brave alluring baits and do most usually insnare the poor silly creature being so sutable to flesh and blood and that corrupt part of man which is like tinder easily fired with the desire of these things these have kept thousands from coming and have drawn back many that were gon a fair way toward Christ this made Judas instead of believing in Christ for his Saviour betray him as a Malefactor the Love of the world drew away Demas who had followed Christ a great way the Devil knows full well how to impede and hinder sinners from coming to Christ I have read a story of one Hippomenes who fell in Love with a beautiful Woman called Atalanta who had vowed Virginity only she proposed this to her Wooers that they should run a Race with her unarmed she having a dart in her hand and if she won the Race she was to kill them with her dart she having ended many so Himpomenes was to run with her and he had gotten three Golden Apples given him by Venus which in the midst of the race when she drew nigh unto him he severally throws down and she being allured by them runs to gather them up and so he wins the race and her which I apply thus for the moral of it is good This Hipomenes is Satan who falls in love with the soul which is Atalanta who has vowed Virginity in its baptismal covenant he goes to Venus which is the world and gets three Golden Apples which are profit pleasure and honour and when the soul is as it were half way to Zion he throws down these before it and whilst it stops to gather them the Race is lost and the soul is undone for ever Satan works most effectually by these which are but perishing vanitys and thousands of souls are swallowed up in this Gulfe who believe Satan that is the Father of lyes when he promiseth only a dirty world and neglect to come to Christ when he promiseth an eternal glorious Kingdom Satan promiseth the earth and he too often prevails but Christ offers Heaven with all the immunitys glory and happiness imaginable and yet is refused Satan promiseth that which he cannot perform without divine permission but Christ promiseth that which he will certainly bestow upon the believing soul therefore let not these Cobwebs hold thee seeing he Commands thee and it is thy duty to obey 9ly He perswades the sinner that he shall live a Malancholly life if he come to Christ and then produces various instances then shews him such a one and such a one who when they followed the course of the world and had their conversation as other men they lived chearfully and merrily but since they turned out of that way and have gone in another new way they are sad and disconsolate persons now ye shall not see them rejoyce but hang down their heads as a Bullrush This I say is another of his devices to keep back poor Souls when they are coming to Christ although there is no reason why it should for if they are sorrowful and pensive it is not with the sorrow of the world which is deadly 2 Cor. 7.10 Godly sorrow worketh Repentance to Salvation never to be Repented of but the sorrow of the world worketh death and as the wise man saith In the midst of laughter the heart is sad thus it is usually with the men of the world but the Godly though they have a dejected countenance yet then they have a chearful heart as their sorrows are not alike so their joys cant be compared the Apostle can say to the Godly rejoice evermore 1 Thes 5.16 And rejoice in the Lord always when he saith to the wicked Go weep and howl for the misery that shall come upon you James 5.1 Satan lies when he saith the ways of God are Melancholy for as the wise man saith Rom. 3.17 All her ways speaking of wisdom are ways of pleasantness and all her paths are peace and he may truly say all because all her paths are holiness I could give several instances besides scriptural ones of persons who have found it and declared it to be the most pleasant way all the godly more or less Galeaceus Carraciolus have experienced this I shall mention only that of the Noble Marquess who had experienced what comforts the world could afford and what were to be found in the ways of God could say Cursed be that Man who shall preferr all the Gold and Silver in the world before one days Communion with the Lord Jesus See here how he esteemed the comforts and delights he met with in the ways of God Therefore let not this deter thee and I will add mine own experience I never had such joys and delights as in the holy ways of God I cannot express it but come thou to Christ and thou shalt tast it nay satiate thy soul out of his superabundant fullness for he has rivers of pleasure by him and he doth often here give
but ten thousand Worlds can do thy Soul no good nor help thee in the evil day these sufferings are but light and momentary but the Crown and Glory shall be eternal 2 Cor. 4.17 2ly The things of the World they impede I shall not here particularly treat or make mention of them because I have already exceeded what I first intended therefore I shall only name those three usual heads under which all are comprehended scil Pleasure Profit and Honour these obstacles are mentioned by the Apostle John under the names of the Lust of the Flesh the Lust of the Eye and the Pride of Life 1 Jo. 2.16 O how many have these worldly terrene vanities prevented from coming unto Christ As 1. The pleasures of the world both lawful and unlawful as in Luk. 14.20 I have married a Wife and therefore I cannot come Here was not so much as a civil excuse from him as from the two former in vers 18.19 And why because he thought such a delightful relation was lawful by divine appointment and therefore he concluded he might very well answer I cannot come this man supposed it more just and equal to solace and felicitate himself with the injoyment of a Wife then to come when the Lords Servants invited but I fear he is not alone in this answer for if we pass by former Ages and only take a prospect of the present we shall meet with many such answers if not in their Lips yet in their Lives it is most perspicuously demonstrated but remember this that comforts are Lawful when Lawfully injoyed and as the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 10.23 All things are Lawful but all things are not expedient For when any injoyment keeps the Soul from fully closing with Christ though never so lawful in it self it then becomes sinful as in Luk. 14.20 Instead of loving and delighting in all must be hated in comparison of Christ who is the eternal delight of the Father Prov. 8.30 The joy of Angels and the glory of Saints 2. Those pleasures which are unjust base and sordid which true vertue and ingenuity never invented which only gratify the bruitish part of man and have Plus Alloes quam Mellis more of Gall then of Hony in them which do immerge and drown the Sinner in sensuallity nay may I not say in brutish bestiality which make him forget God his Creator and neglect coming unto Christ the only Redeemer and Saviour of Mankind How many in this Age prefer the gratifying a base Lust before the obeying a glorious Jesus their sordid pleasures before the welfare of their immortal Souls they will do more to please one single Lust though it be to their eternal detriment and loss then to delight Christ and Angels by converting and turning to him for there is joy in Heaven at the conversion of a Sinner There is no reason to be given why a Sinner should be held by such Cobwebs as these but we see by dayly and woful experience that their Lust prevails more to keep them from Christ then all the sweet invitations promises of Christ will do to bring them unto him They will go Twenty Steps after a vain pleasure to damn their Souls but not one in order to the Salvation of them it may be when some dark Providence beclouds them when the Night of affliction overshaddows them and the Terrors of Conscience affright them old decriped Age hath imbicilitated and decayed them and Death stands ready to attend them then it may be but not till then when the delicacies of this World are imbittered and have no relish there may be some faint desires after those sweet Celestial Pleasures which are at the right hand of God for evermore Psal 16.11 But O Sinner neglect not Christ for a Vanity a more then Vanity let not temporal Pleasures be prefered before eternal felicities what for a momentary delight hazard everlasting Treasures I have before declared what thou shalt have if thou comest unto Christ weigh them in the Ballance of sanctified reason and try them by the Touchstone of the Scripture and then see whether Christ and his pleasures be not to be prefered before all others 2. The Profits of the World are great impediments when these stand between Christ and the Sinner and if he comes to Christ he must transileate and leap over all these he rather chooses to Sit down contented with his Worldly Portion and to take the Left hand rather than the Right hand blessings give him but the Earthly and terestial let who will take the Heavenly and Celestial Mansions this kept the young man from closing with Christ Mat. 19.22 this made Demas forsake Paul and imbrace this present World and many others both then and now To Err from the Faith and drown themselves in destruction and perdition Tim. 6.10 Exitio est avidis Mare Nautis What made Judas betray the Glorious Jesus but the vain Profits of a perishing World what is the great support of the Papists Religion but their Gain and Profits from their several quarters this makes them debase Christ instead of exalting him and Daphne-like run away from the great Apollo scil the Lord Jesus Quid non mortalia pectora cogit auri sacra fames when they should willingly run themselves and incourage others to come and meet him but as the Poet said the greedy and cursed desire of Gold doth destroy men how are men lincked with these Chains these Silver shrines cause multitudes to prostrate themselves to the base Diana of this World i. e. their profit when Christ is Preached up to be the only Saviour Act. 19. I think this Chapter would serve excellently to paint forth the Whore of Rome with her Demetrius's and Sinners are beseeched and exhorted to come unto him then come the Idol-Worshipers of this World and cry Great is Diana of the Ephesians Great profit and gain there is to be had if we adore this false Deity But least I be too prolix I will contract let not the thick clay of this World so depress and weigh down thy Soul that thou canst not sore aloft to meet a Jesus for it is Christ not Gold that can save thee it is Heaven not Earth that can truely inrich thy Soul Multa petentibus desunt muta here thou maist desire still and be in want but if thou comest to Christ he will possess thee with everlasting Treasure thou shalt satiate thy Soul with the riches of Heaven in a word the more thou dost deny thy self in the things of this World Quanto quisque sibi plura negaverit a Diis plura feret the more thou shalt receive from Christ as grace here and Glory for ever Psal 84.11 Therefore let not vanity possess thy Soul and keep out him who is all and in all Col. 3.11 3. The Honours of the World are great hindrances these elevate the Soul above the bounds of reason Non semper idem floribus
descendit Know thy self descended from Heaven 2. Of his misery for Man is in a most deplorable state and condition being lost and liable to eternal condemnation unless Christ deliver him from it and the greatest part of his misery consists in this that he is for the most part insensible of his sad condition for it is the first step to happiness and felicity to be made sensible of ones misery for this moves the Soul to look out for a remedy 3. He knows not his wants and indigences Man in his Sinful lapsed state is full of wants 1. He wants Pardon for his Sin for if Sin be not forgiven the Soul is undone if the guilt of Sin doth remain upon the Soul when it enters upon an Eternal State the Soul is lost for ever and must lye cursed in intolerable and inextinguishable Flames to all eternity Mat. 25.41 2. Grace and holyness for the Soul Jo. 3.3 Except a man be Born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God Heb. 12.14 Follow peace with all men and holyness without which no man shall see the Lord. 3. A Mediator to interceed and procure these and all other Mercys for the Soul which Mediator is only the Lord Jesus 1 Tim. 2.5 There is a Mediator between God and Man the Man Christ Jesus 1 Jo. 2.1 We have an advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous Did the Sinner but understand his wants and necessities he would not much be intreated to come unto Christ That out of his fulness he might receive Grace for Grace Jo. 1.19 4ly The mind being darkened doth not discern the evil of Sin Chrysostom when threatned Exilement by Eudoxia the Empress answered I fear nothing but Sin He saw Sin to be the greatest and worst of Evils The Apostle Paul when he was divinely illuminated exclaimed and cryed out of the exceeding Sinfulness of Sin Rom. 7.13 which made him look upon himself as most miserable therefore he so pathetickly affectionately expresseth and bewaileth his state by reason of sin which remained although not regnant within him v. 24. O Wretched Man that I am not that I was as some vainly would pervert the Text who shall deliver me not the unconverted Sinner from this Body of Death This present state I am in now I have a Body of Death Sin cleaves close to me it is tyed to me as a Dead Corps therefore I am wretched now because of this Body of Death and not when I was a Persecuter a Blasphemer and Injurious Thus doth a person truely inlightened see the evil of Sin and lament over it so the Prophet Isa Chap. 6.5 then said I Wo is me for I am undone because I am a man of unclean Lips Here we see two eminent and holy Servants of the Lord bewailing their Sin the one a great Prophet called by Piscator Magnus Propheta the other a great Apostle but why because they perceived the evil that is in Sin and if Sinners did but know the evil of Sin they would cry out so too and thank God with the Apostle that there is a Christ to go unto Rom. 7.25 but because they see not the Evil Jo. 17.15 therefore they imbrace it and refuse Christ 5. Ignorant of the wrath of God revealed against obstinate Sinners this makes them regardless of Christ for did they but know with a sanctified knowledg what God hath threatned against them they would tremble and be astonished at the tremendious and terrible noise of those Thunder claps as the Children of Israel were when God descended upon Mount Sinai to deliver the Law unto them but because of this stupedity Sinners are secure without a Jesus not considering that The wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all ungodlyness and unrighteousness of men Ro. 1.18 To them who obey not the truth but obey unrighteousness such are all those who obey not Christ and his Gospel 2 Thes 1.8 Indignation and Wrath Tribulation and Anguish upon every Soul of man that doth Evil of the Jew first and also of the Gentile Rom. 2.8.9 Now I say did Sinners but rightly conceive of this wrath of God which he hath denounced against them they would soon hasten to tome to Christ Jesus for refuge and safety from it for it is he alone that can do it 1 Thes 1.10 Jesus who delivers from the Wrath to come But whilst they neglect coming unto Christ they are treasuring up wrath against the day of wrath treasures of Wrath but who is able to indure the least grain of it may I so express my self in its extremity Rom. 2.5 for such as his power is such is his wrath it is terrible yet without passion infinite yet without mitigation intollerable without cessation and swift to consume the Sinner yet without any motion in God O the ineffable and inconceivable torments that will be the consequence of impenitency and final neglect of the Lord Jesus 6. Ignorant of that glory and blessedness they would partake of if they came unto the Lord Jesus they cannot discern that glory because their Eyes are blinded and their Faces turned away from God There is a vail of Ignorance over their Hearts which is taken away from believers who are come unto Christ 2 Cor. 3.18 But we all with open Face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord are changed into the same Image from Glory to Glory even as by the Lord. There is a blessedness and glory in this Life believers are partakers of and invested with They are blessed in Life Mat. 5. 2. to the 12. v. Blessed at death Rev. 14.13 Blessed are the Dead which dye in the Lord. Blessed at the day of Judgment when the wicked are Cursed Mat. 28.34 Come ye blessed of my Father saith Christ Inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the Foundation of the World And they remain blessed for evermore 1 Thes 4.17 I cannot here number up all the blessedness of the Saints The glory is unconceivable 1 Cor. 2.9 It hath not entred into the Heart of man to conceive the things God hath prepared for them that love him 2 Cor. 14.17 A far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory Believers shall be glorious for ever Dan. 12.3 They shall shine as the Sun in the firmament and as the Stars for ever and ever Ignoti nulla Cupido And because the darkened Mind apprehends not this Glory blessedness therefore it slights coming unto Christ 7. The Carnal mind is ignorant of Christ as John Baptist said to the Jews There stands one amongst you whom you know not Jo. 1.26 So I may say to many who terme themselves Christians there is one who is dayly Preached among you yet ye know him not and it is evident by this you come not to him 1. They whose minds are darkened know not Christ essentially i. e. that he is very God and very Man as Rom. 9.15 God over all blessed for ever The man Christ Jesus Tim.